Sunsets

I was recently designing some backgrounds to use in multimedia presentations.  A friend of ours was close by and watching. He said "Once you have seen one or two sunsets, you have seen them all. There isn't any point in capturing a photo of a sunset more than twice."  I looked at him, eyebrows raised, and said "You obviously don't watch sunsets! Each sunset is different, a new Masterpiece from our Creator." He laughed and said he obviously didn't look at the world like I did. I joked back and said obviously not, maybe you should begin! We laughed over it, but there is a  lot of truth in examining how we see the world. 

A few weeks ago, I was so busy, I didn't stop to see the cloud formations, the birds, the sunsets, or anything but work. I was grumpy. I realized I needed to grab my camera and go capture some creation. I took an hour. That hour deeply refreshed my soul. I slowed down, took in the beauty of a lake, the mountains, geese, old barns, and I took time to breathe. I needed that time. 

Back to my sunset discussion. Each sunset is unique. Beautiful. Breathtaking. 

Do you stop long enough to notice? Do you put down your phone long enough to see it?  

Take time to see the beauty. Take time to breathe it  in. Each moment of beauty, each sunset, is a gift. 

Live Life With A Purpose

Do you see the gifts around you? Do you experience life or are you just coasting by, with your eyes always on your phone/tablet/electronics?  Life is precious and filled with beauty.  When is the last time you experienced life, really experience it? 

When is the last time you enjoyed a sunset?  I mean really took it in, and truly saw, experienced, enjoyed, sat in awe of the colors?  

Have you taken time to see the small details in a flower, that is here today and gone tomorrow, but the amazing details and colors that God put in those flowers for us to enjoy is incredible.  

Put the phone down and look at the beauty around you!  

Enjoy.

   Experience.

       Live life to the fullest.  

           Be thankful.
          

Life is short.  Don't waste it.  Don't let your legacy be that you spent a lot of time texting, staring at an electronic.  Let your legacy be that life was precious to you, and you enjoyed it, you took it in, you loved others, and you talked to them, face to face.  Let people remember that you lived out your life, that you saw the beauty and you appreciated it.  Let your legacy be one of a life well lived, on purpose, with a purpose.  

Be available.  Others need you.  But to be available,  you need to put the electronics down and have face to face relationships.  

Lake Pend Oreille Sunset

Smoke is filling the skies from wild fires, again.  It did create a beautiful sunset over Lake Pend Oreille, however.  The only edits I made was adding my name to these photos.  

Evening On The Prairie

The View From My Porch

We ended up with the ground covered in hail...not such a pretty view from my front porch today!  Many of my flowers were wrecked, but I think most will come out alright.  Our plum tree is quite bare on top, leaves and fruit gone, but thankfully, the lower part of tree appeared to make it through.

After the storm, God provided us with a sky filled with hope.  

The Signature of the Creator

Do you see His signature all around you?  He shares a sunset, a flower, a beautiful lake, majestic mountains, a peaceful prairie, a singing bird, a butterfly, so you know He is there, everywhere.  He cares for you.  He loves you.  He is there for you.  

Amazing Sunset

Sunset, January 5th, 2014.  

30 Days of Thanks, Day 26

Today I am thankful for sunsets and lakes, both of which help me to relax and unwind, and focus on how God truly blesses my life in the simplest, most beautiful ways.  

A Day on A Moody Lake

We spent a day on Lake Pend Oreille over the weekend.  It was a little choppy when we put in, but not bad.  We were part way down the lake, when the skies turned stormy, the wind came up even more, and the lake turned gray.  If  you know Pend Oreille, when the lake turns gray, it is definitely not a good sign.  We went into shore for a bit.  The lake was still choppy when we headed back out, but we were a long way from where we launched the boat.  Fortunately, the waters calmed down and the sky cleared part way back so we enjoyed some time fishing, and watching an amazing sunset.  

This is the color the sky turned, middle of the afternoon.